Multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) tag wireless wide area network (WWAN) protocol

• US 8,638,194 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axcess International, Inc. (Amphion Innovations PLC)
• Original Assignee: Axcess International, Inc. (Amphion Innovations PLC)
• Inventors: Bridgelall, Rajinder, Griebenow, Allan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US12/180,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.71, 340/505, 340/568, 340/572, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.4, 340/10.3, 340/10.41, 340/10.51, 340/3.43, 340/3.44, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/73, 455/86, 455/456.5, 455/414.1, 370/329, 370/401, 370/342, 370/331, 379/157, 709/212
• US Class Current: 340/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

In certain embodiments, an RFID tag comprises a memory module and one or more processing units. The memory module stores a subscriber identification number shared by the tag and one or more other tags for accessing a WWAN. Each tag is operable to access the WWAN using the subscriber identification number at a corresponding unique timeslot, the corresponding unique timeslot for a tag being distinct from the timeslots at which the other tags can access the WWAN using the subscriber identification number. The one or more processing units access the WWAN using the subscriber identification number to initiate a tag session at the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag. The corresponding unique timeslot for the tag is distinct from timeslots at which the other tags may access the WWAN using the subscriber identification number. The one or more processing units are operable to communicate tag information during the tag session at the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a memory module operable to store a common subscriber identification number shared by the tag and one or more other tags for accessing a wireless wide area network (WWAN), each tag operable to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number at a corresponding unique timeslot for the tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag being distinct from the timeslots at which the other tags can access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number; and

one or more processing units operable to;

access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate a tag session, the tag session being at the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag being distinct from timeslots at which the one or more other tags may access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate tag sessions; and

communicate tag information during the tag session at the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein at the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag, the one or more processing units are operable to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number by initiating a wireless call on the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number.

3. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein:

the memory module is operable to store timeslot information identifying the corresponding timeslot for the tag, the corresponding timeslot having a predetermined start time and duration pre-assigned to the tag for the tag to conduct the tag session; and

the one or more processing units are operable to communicate the tag information during the pre-assigned timeslot.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to:

wake up the tag from a sleep state a predetermined amount of time prior to predetermined start time of the corresponding timeslot for the tag; and

after waking up the tag and prior to accessing the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number, locate a base station and perform clock synchronization.

5. The RFID tag claim 3, wherein the corresponding unique timeslot for the tag is one of a plurality of timeslots within a fixed time period, each of the tag and the one or more other tags having a corresponding assigned timeslot within the fixed time period.

6. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to:

receive an access token authorizing the tag to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number while the tag is in possession of the access token;

access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate the tag session while the tag is in possession of the access token;

communicate tag information during the tag session; and

transmit, after termination of the tag session, the access token to another tag.

7. The RFID tag claim 6, wherein the access token is operable to expire after a predetermined time period such that the tag may no longer access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number after the predetermined time period has expired.

8. The RFID tag of claim 6, wherein the duration of the tag session for the tag is different from the duration of a tag session for another tag.

9. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to:

determine whether each of the tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another;

if it is determined the tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another, initiate tag sessions according to a variable-length session technique; and

if it is determined that the tag and the one or more other tags are not able to communicate directly with each other, initiate tag sessions according to a fixed-length session technique.

10. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the common subscriber identification number comprises a cellular telephone number.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the tag information communicated during the tag session for the tag comprises one or more fixed-length data packets.

12. A method, comprising:

storing a common subscriber identification number shared by a particular tag and one or more other tags for accessing a wireless wide area network (WWAN), each tag operable to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number at a corresponding unique timeslot for the tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag being distinct from the timeslots at which the other tags can access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number;

accessing the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate a tag session, the tag session being at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag being distinct from timeslots at which the one or more other tags may access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate tag sessions; and

communicating tag information during the tag session at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising accessing, at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag, the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number by initiating a wireless call on the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

storing timeslot information identifying the corresponding timeslot for the particular tag, the corresponding timeslot having a predetermined start time and duration pre-assigned to the particular tag for the particular tag to conduct the tag session; and

communicating the tag information during the pre-assigned timeslot.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

waking up from a sleep state a predetermined amount of time prior to predetermined start time of the corresponding timeslot for the particular tag; and

after waking up and prior to accessing the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number, locating a base station and perform clock synchronization.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag is one of a plurality of timeslots within a fixed time period, each of the particular tag and the one or more other tags having a corresponding assigned timeslot within the fixed time period.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

receiving an access token authorizing the particular tag to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number while the particular tag is in possession of the access token;

accessing the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate the tag session while the particular tag is in possession of the access token;

communicating tag information during the tag session; and

transmitting, after termination of the tag session, the access token to another tag.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the access token is operable to expire after a predetermined time period such that the particular tag may no longer access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number after the predetermined time period has expired.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the duration of the tag session for the particular tag is different from the duration of a tag session for another tag.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising:

determining whether each of the particular tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another;

if it is determined the particular tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another, initiating tag sessions according to a variable-length session technique; and

if it is determined that the particular tag and the one or more other tags are not able to communicate directly with each other, initiating tag sessions according to a fixed-length session technique.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the common subscriber identification number comprises a cellular telephone number.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the tag information communicated during the tag session for the particular tag comprises one or more fixed-length data packets.

23. Software embodied in a tangible computer-readable hardware medium, the software when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

storing, in a memory module, a common subscriber identification number shared by a particular tag and one or more other tags for accessing a wireless wide area network (WWAN), each tag operable to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number at a corresponding unique timeslot for the tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag being distinct from the timeslots at which the other tags can access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number;

accessing, via the processor, the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate a tag session, the tag session being at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag, the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag being distinct from timeslots at which the one or more other tags may access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate tag sessions; and

communicating, via the processor, tag information during the tag session at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag.

24. The software of claim 23, wherein the operations comprise to accessing, at the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag, the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number by initiating a wireless call on the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number.

25. The software of claim 23, wherein the operations comprise:

storing, in a memory module, timeslot information identifying the corresponding timeslot for the particular tag, the corresponding timeslot having a predetermined start time and duration pre-assigned to the particular tag for the particular tag to conduct the tag session; and

communicating, via the processor, the tag information during the pre-assigned timeslot.

26. The software of claim 25, wherein the operations comprise:

waking up from a sleep state a predetermined amount of time prior to predetermined start time of the corresponding timeslot for the particular tag; and

after waking up and prior to accessing the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number, locating a base station and perform clock synchronization.

27. The software of claim 25, wherein the corresponding unique timeslot for the particular tag is one of a plurality of timeslots within a fixed time period, each of the particular tag and the one or more other tags having a corresponding assigned timeslot within the fixed time period.

28. The software of claim 23, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving, via the processor, an access token authorizing the particular tag to access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number while the particular tag is in possession of the access token;

accessing, via the processor, the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number to initiate the tag session while the particular tag is in possession of the access token;

communicating, via the processor, tag information during the tag session; and

transmitting, via the processor, after termination of the tag session, the access token to another tag.

29. The software of claim 28, wherein the access token is operable to expire after a predetermined time period such that the particular tag may no longer access the WWAN using the common subscriber identification number after the predetermined time period has expired.

30. The software of claim 28, wherein the duration of the tag session for the particular tag is different from the duration of a tag session for another tag.

31. The software of claim 23, wherein the operations comprise:

determining, via the processor, whether each of the particular tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another;

if it is determined the particular tag and the one or more other tags can communicate directly with one another, initiating, via the processor, tag sessions according to a variable-length session technique; and

if it is determined that the particular tag and the one or more other tags are not able to communicate directly with each other, initiating, via the processor, tag sessions according to a fixed-length session technique.

32. The software of claim 23, wherein the common subscriber identification number comprises a cellular telephone number.

33. The software of claim 23, wherein the tag information communicated during the tag session for the particular tag comprises one or more fixed-length data packets.